Science, technology and innovations in India

[sorcerer]

Electrically configured nanochannels eliminating unwanted energy can revolutionize on-chip data communication and processing in future


Posted On: 28 JUN 2021 4:45PM by PIB Delhi



Scientists have developed electrically configured nanochannels that can eliminate unwanted energy waste and promise wave-based computing. This can revolutionize on-chip data communication and processing in future.


Conventional electronics is composed of logic circuits having a large number of transistors interconnected by metallic wires. The data carried by electric charges suffer undesirable heating limiting its integration density.


Spintronics, also known as spin electronics, or the study of the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment, in addition to its fundamental electronic charge, in solid-state devices offer to harness electron spins. Their collective precession can carry information encoded in its amplitude, phase, wavelength, and frequency without any physical motion of particles, eliminating unwanted energy waste and promising wave-based computing.


To this end, Professor Anjan Barman and coworkers from the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, have developed electrically reconfigured parallel nanochannels that tune the behaviour of spin waves in nano-structure elements. They have done this by periodically tailoring the property that confers a preferred direction on the spin of a system, also called anisotropy using the electric field --- technically called the principles of voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy. This work has been published in the journal ‘Science Advances’.


In the recent research, spin-waves were efficiently transferred through these nanochannels, and this could be switched ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ and its magnitude altered by a meagre voltage of few volts. The team believes that in future, these nanochannels can be engineered further to transfer specific bands of frequencies through designed parallel channels towards development of on-chip multiplexing devices.

Figure: A. Schematic illustration shows the concept of spin-wave nanochannels. B. Schematic illustration shows the device structure and formation of nanochannels. Spin-wave frequencies versus wavevector when electric field, E is OFF (C) and ON (D). E. Heatmap plots show the spatial distribution of spin-wave intensity for spin-wave mode 2 and mode 1 at wavevector k = 7.1 × 106 rad/m.

 

[sorcerer]

SERB-DST partners with Intel India to launch first-of-its-kind initiative to advance deep tech-based research in India


Posted On: 29 JUN 2021 5:55PM by PIB Delhi



The Indian research community will soon be able to pursue industry-relevant research opportunities in the areas of deep technologies that are novel, transformative, and can have a ground-breaking impact on a national scale.


The opportunities will be offered by the first-of-its-kind research initiative called ‘Fund for Industrial Research Engagement (FIRE)’ launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, in collaboration with Intel India on June 29, 2021.


It will increase research opportunities in the space of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), platform systems, circuits & architecture, Internet of Things (IoT), materials & devices, security, and so on from edge to cloud.


“It is our vision to promote research in the upcoming critical areas of science and engineering with Public-Private Partnerships as elaborated in the draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2021,” said DST Secretary Prof Ashutosh Sharma, speaking at the launch.


SERB-FIRE is a novel initiative to bring together industry and academia on a common platform to exchange ground-breaking ideas and co-promote innovative research. I believe this collaboration will open many new doors for exploration in scientific research, which could make India a key player in technology-based solutions,” he added.


Prof Sandeep Verma, Secretary, SERB, emphasized that SERB-FIRE promises to bring support for strong ideations, especially in futuristic S&T thematic areas, and aims to bring expertise in academia and industry together with a new model of cooperation.


“SERB-Intel collaboration will be an excellent opportunity for the scientists to join hands with Intel and together create a stimulating atmosphere for research in science and engineering. There is a synergy that could be built upon through this programme which would be governed by industry-specific problems,’’ Prof Verma said.


The FIRE program is a joint government and industry initiative with a co-funding mechanism to promote innovative technology solutions and strengthen academic research through collaboration with key research and development (R&D) organizations in India. Having been conceived in collaboration with Intel India, it is also being extended to other industry members, which would increase its impact and reach.


Jitendra Chaddah, Country Manager, Global Supply Chain, Intel India, pointed out that FIRE is a one-of-its-kind collaborative initiative that aims to transform the culture of research in India and strengthen the technology ecosystem. This is a critical program that will lead to impactful research outcomes in key technology areas like AI, ML, cloud, edge, and security at the national and global scale.”


The program intends to select highly impactful research projects in every cycle (typically once or twice a year), which have breakthrough potential at a national or global level. It will support the best researchers in academia with funding, mentoring, and industry connect.


As the next step, the FIRE program will share a Request for Proposal (RFP) and invite the Indian research community to submit research proposals.

 

[sorcerer]

Researchers devise economical method to extract Hydrogen from water--India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

6-7 minutes

Hydrogen can provide nearly three times higher energy than gasoline (Image: Euractiv)

Hydrogen gas is an environment-friendly fuel, as it produces water upon combustion in the presence of oxygen. For the same weight, hydrogen can provide nearly three times higher energy than gasoline. However, the quantity of hydrogen available from the Earth’s atmosphere is tiny. The more widely available compound, water, might be a source of producing hydrogen. However, the chemical reaction requiring the production of hydrogen from water requires an external source of energy. The aim of making hydrogen an alternative source of fuel requires minimising the energy input in producing it while maximising the amount of energy extracted from combusting hydrogen.

In a recent study , the researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have used a new catalyst for extracting hydrogen from water. Researchers have demonstrated how a magnetised catalyst can speed up hydrogen production while bringing down the energy cost. They showed that their chosen catalyst had increased the speed of producing hydrogen and reduced the energy required to do so, compared to previous studies.

To extract hydrogen from water, researchers insert two electrodes across the water and pass current, which can separate the hydrogen from water, a process called electrolysis of water. Earlier studies have shown that metals like Platinum, Rhodium, and Iridium speed up electrolysis. “Although these metals work well, industrial systems don’t prefer them because they are expensive,” says Prof Chandramouli Subramaniam of IIT Bombay and an author of the study. The study has used a compound consisting of cobalt and oxygen to achieve the same goal at a much lower cost. While earlier researchers focused on developing new catalysts for the electrolysis of water, the authors of the present study concentrated on an alternative approach.

To achieve the increased energy efficiency, the researchers turned to less costly metal cobalt, already known for speeding up electrolysis. They decorated carbon nanoflorets, nanocarbon structures arranged like a marigold flower with cobalt oxide particles and placed these nanoflorets in the water. An electric field applied through the cobalt oxide to water molecules results in the electrolysis of water. Although cobalt oxide is a well-known electrochemical catalyst, it requires a high amount of energy and produces hydrogen at a low speed.

Hydrogen gas is an environment-friendly fuel, as it produces water upon combustion in the presence of oxygen. For the same weight, hydrogen can provide nearly three times higher energy than gasoline. However, the quantity of hydrogen available from the Earth’s atmosphere is tiny. The more widely available compound, water, might be a source of producing hydrogen. However, the chemical reaction requiring the production of hydrogen from water requires an external source of energy. The aim of making hydrogen an alternative source of fuel requires minimising the energy input in producing it while maximising the amount of energy extracted from combusting hydrogen.

To increase the speed of electrolysis, the researchers did not rely on the electric field alone. Magnetic fields, which are related to electric fields, can play a crucial role in these reactions. The researchers showed that if they introduced a small fridge magnet near their setup, the reaction speed increased about three times. Even after removing the external magnet, the reaction still took place about three times faster than in the absence of the magnetic field. “This is because the catalyst we have designed can sustain the magnetisation for prolonged periods, the key being the development of a synergistic carbon-metal oxide interface,” explains Jayeeta Saha, the author of the study. “A one-time exposure of the magnetic field is enough to achieve the high speed of hydrogen production for over 45 minutes,” she adds.

It is easy to integrate accessible house-magnets into the existing designs at a low cost. “We can directly adopt the modified setup in existing electrolysers without any change in design or mode of operation of the electrolysers,” says Ranadeb Ball, another author of the study.

“The intermittent use of an external magnetic field provides a new direction for achieving energy-efficient hydrogen generation. Other catalysts can also be explored for this purpose,” says Prof. Subramaniam.

Once the hydrogen is produced in large amounts, it can be packed off in cylinders and used as a fuel. If their efforts are successful, we might be looking at an environmentally friendly fuel, hydrogen, replacing petroleum, diesel, and compressed natural gas (CNG) in the future.

The study was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Industrial Research and Consultancy Center, IIT Bombay. It was published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

 

[ZoroSingh]

I'm surprised India wasn't already in the top 10

 

[Raaakisazih]

I'm surprised India wasn't already in the top 10

What bro are these rankings serious,

 

[ZoroSingh]

What bro are these rankings serious,

More here : https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...g-asia-pacific-countries-101624980575046.html

 

[sorcerer]

IIT-Hyderabad develops world's smallest microscope


2-3 minutes



Muscope, the world’s smallest microscope, has been designed by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. It uses only a few off-the-shelf electronic chips, namely an image sensor and a micro-LED display.

IIT-Hyderabad develops world's smallest microscope

Muscope, the world’s smallest microscope, has been designed by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. It uses only a few off-the-shelf electronic chips, namely an image sensor and a micro-LED display.

www.indiatoday.in

 

[sorcerer]

IIT Hyderabad, WiSig develop Koala, 'India’s first' 5G cellular chipset
Our Bureau.

2 minutes


Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), along with WiSig, has announced it has co-developed ‘Koala’ a Narrowband Internet-of-Things System-on-Chip (NB-IoT SoC), which is a 5G cellular chipset.
The Department of Telecommunication (DOT) has funded this indigenous 5G testbed project.

Koala enables low-bit rate Internet of Things (IoT) applications with long-range and device battery life up to 10 years. Smart metres, machine-to-machine connectivity, Industry 4.0, and a plethora of sensor connectivity, asset tracking, digital healthcare, and many more applications could find use of Koala.

The SoC supports IoT modem with integrated baseband and radio, an application processor, and GPS functionality for location tracking.

IIT Hyderabad, WiSig develop Koala, 'India’s first' 5G cellular chipset

Koala can be used for a wide-range of applications

www.thehindubusinessline.com

 

[Leonardo Alves]

Researchers devise economical method to extract Hydrogen from water--India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

6-7 minutes

Hydrogen can provide nearly three times higher energy than gasoline (Image: Euractiv)

Hydrogen gas is an environment-friendly fuel, as it produces water upon combustion in the presence of oxygen. For the same weight, hydrogen can provide nearly three times higher energy than gasoline. However, the quantity of hydrogen available from the Earth’s atmosphere is tiny. The more widely available compound, water, might be a source of producing hydrogen. However, the chemical reaction requiring the production of hydrogen from water requires an external source of energy. The aim of making hydrogen an alternative source of fuel requires minimising the energy input in producing it while maximising the amount of energy extracted from combusting hydrogen.

In a recent study , the researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have used a new catalyst for extracting hydrogen from water. Researchers have demonstrated how a magnetised catalyst can speed up hydrogen production while bringing down the energy cost. They showed that their chosen catalyst had increased the speed of producing hydrogen and reduced the energy required to do so, compared to previous studies.

To extract hydrogen from water, researchers insert two electrodes across the water and pass current, which can separate the hydrogen from water, a process called electrolysis of water. Earlier studies have shown that metals like Platinum, Rhodium, and Iridium speed up electrolysis. “Although these metals work well, industrial systems don’t prefer them because they are expensive,” says Prof Chandramouli Subramaniam of IIT Bombay and an author of the study. The study has used a compound consisting of cobalt and oxygen to achieve the same goal at a much lower cost. While earlier researchers focused on developing new catalysts for the electrolysis of water, the authors of the present study concentrated on an alternative approach.

To achieve the increased energy efficiency, the researchers turned to less costly metal cobalt, already known for speeding up electrolysis. They decorated carbon nanoflorets, nanocarbon structures arranged like a marigold flower with cobalt oxide particles and placed these nanoflorets in the water. An electric field applied through the cobalt oxide to water molecules results in the electrolysis of water. Although cobalt oxide is a well-known electrochemical catalyst, it requires a high amount of energy and produces hydrogen at a low speed.



To increase the speed of electrolysis, the researchers did not rely on the electric field alone. Magnetic fields, which are related to electric fields, can play a crucial role in these reactions. The researchers showed that if they introduced a small fridge magnet near their setup, the reaction speed increased about three times. Even after removing the external magnet, the reaction still took place about three times faster than in the absence of the magnetic field. “This is because the catalyst we have designed can sustain the magnetisation for prolonged periods, the key being the development of a synergistic carbon-metal oxide interface,” explains Jayeeta Saha, the author of the study. “A one-time exposure of the magnetic field is enough to achieve the high speed of hydrogen production for over 45 minutes,” she adds.

It is easy to integrate accessible house-magnets into the existing designs at a low cost. “We can directly adopt the modified setup in existing electrolysers without any change in design or mode of operation of the electrolysers,” says Ranadeb Ball, another author of the study.

“The intermittent use of an external magnetic field provides a new direction for achieving energy-efficient hydrogen generation. Other catalysts can also be explored for this purpose,” says Prof. Subramaniam.

Once the hydrogen is produced in large amounts, it can be packed off in cylinders and used as a fuel. If their efforts are successful, we might be looking at an environmentally friendly fuel, hydrogen, replacing petroleum, diesel, and compressed natural gas (CNG) in the future.

The study was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Industrial Research and Consultancy Center, IIT Bombay. It was published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

This can be used in diesel electric submarines.

 

[sorcerer]

How to develop deep tech startups for national security




We can now reveal some of our early success stories:

* Tonbo Imaging based out of Bangalore, designs and builds advanced imaging and sensor systems to deal with complex battle environments.

* Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions began their journey by winning iDEX challenges. They are now developing prototypes to ‘Prevent Illegal Usage of Drones’ & ‘See Through Armour’.

* Pune-based Gurutvaa is also working on design and development of Counter Drone Systems for perimeter security.

* Z Motion Autonomous Systems is foraying into unmanned vehicle control technologies with an intent to develop aerial systems with ammunition carrying capability.

* North Street Cooling Towers, Ghaziabad, has joined the IDEX platform to develop carbon fibre filament to help make rocket launchers for the Indian Army.

* Saif Automations, Visakhapatnam, is a marine innovation startup, developing a battery powered self-propelled Life Buoy for the Indian Navy.

* BigCat Wireless from IIT Madras Research Park is creating wireless solutions for the forces.

* NoPo Nanotechnologies is a startup specialising in manufacture of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes and could lead India into a select group of few countries with this astounding capability.

* 3rdiTech is a winner of the iDEX challenge and is making a 100 Megapixel camera for Aerial platforms.

How to develop deep tech startups for national security

Innovative development and deployment of deep tech can tip the balance of power. Take the area of unmanned aerial surveillance and drones. They provide both defensive and offensive options without significantly raising the political costs of escalating any conflict.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[sorcerer]

Scientists devise new strategy for combating fungal eye infection--India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

5-6 minutes

India has a huge agrarian population, which is very prone to vegetative trauma while farming. Vegetative trauma to the eye is generally caused by infected vegetable matter such as plant leaves and often leads to fungal infection of the cornea in the eyes or fungal keratitis.

According to the WHO, fungal keratitis is a leading cause of monocular blindness i.e, blindness in one eye, in the developing world. According to a recent study published in Lancet, the highest annual incidence per 1 lakh people is reported in Southern Asia and India accounts for more than 50% of the fungal keratitis cases out of total microbial keratitis cases.

Currently, available drugs for fungal keratitis are less effective, especially in severe disease due to poor drug penetration, poor bioavailability, and antifungal efficacy. US FDA-approved Natamycin is employed as a primary line of treatment for fungal keratitis but due to poor ocular penetration, it requires prolonged and frequent dosing, causing discomfort to patients.

To develop a better antifungal strategy for fungal keratitis, an all-women team of IIT Delhi researchers led by Prof. Archana Chugh from Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (along with her PhD students - Dr. Aastha Jain, Harsha Rohira, and Sujithra Shankar) has been working in collaboration with Dr. Sushmita G Shah, Ophthalmologist and Cornea Specialist from Dr. CM Shah Memorial Charitable Trust and Eye Life, Mumbai.

The team has successfully developed a novel peptide-based antifungal strategy for enhanced Natamycin penetration. The developed peptide-drug conjugate showed an appreciable antifungal effect in the lab.

Dr. Shikha Yadav, Dr. Archana Chugh, Sujithra Shankar, Harsha Rohira, Dr. Sushmita G Shah (L to R)

India has a huge agrarian population, which is very prone to vegetative trauma while farming. Vegetative trauma to the eye is generally caused by infected vegetable matter such as plant leaves and often leads to fungal infection of the cornea in the eyes or fungal keratitis.

“These peptides are known to have the ability to carry molecules with them in the cells. Therefore, when poorly permeable Natamycin was attached to the peptide, the formed complex showed better antifungal effect”, Prof Archana Chugh said.

In their research study, the scientists found that conjugate drug penetration was 5-fold higher than Natamycin in rabbits, thus enabling lowering of the dosage frequency. Further, 44% of mice showed complete resolution of fungal infection with the novel conjugate as compared with 13% of mice that were treated with Natamycin suspension only. The study has been recently published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics.

The animal studies were carried out in collaboration with Dr. Shikha Yadav, Head of Animal Facility at the National Institute of Biologicals, NOIDA. The research was initially funded by the Department of Biotechnology followed by Nanomission, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Prof Chugh further said, “This is a great example of “Make in India”; however, a few hurdles persist for us before this novel conjugate can enter the clinics and is useful to patients. With promising results obtained in the animal studies, we are hopeful that the Biotechnology/ Pharmaceutical industry will come forward for its clinical trials.”

Dr. Sushmita G Shah, Ophthalmologist & Cornea Specialist, Eye Life, Mumbai said, “Collaboration between Clinicians and Scientists is important to develop newer and better drugs, diagnostic devices, etc., which can improve patient care. We are very excited with the results obtained so far and look forward to initiating a clinical trial with the participation of the Industry and other relevant agencies.”

While speaking of the research study by the team led by Prof Chugh, Dr. Virender Singh Sangwan, Director Innovations, Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi said, “The study clearly demonstrated enhanced penetration and effectiveness of a conjugated form of Natamycin for the treatment of fungal keratitis. In India and most of the developing countries, fungal keratitis is a significant public health problem and is responsible for almost 50% of cases of keratitis. Currently available treatment such as Natamycin has poor penetration of the drug into the cornea and hence results in delayed response to treatment.”

India Science Wire

 

[sorcerer]

DBT-NIBMG creates world's first database of genomic variants of oral cancer

Press Information Bureau: July 08, 2021


DBT-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani an Autonomous Institute funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India has created a database of genomic variations in oral cancer; the first of its kind in the world. NIBMG has made this database publicly-accessible.

dbGENVOC is a browsable online database of Genomic Variants of Oral Cancer and is a free resource. First release of dbGENVOC contains (i) ~24 million somatic and germline variants derived from whole exome sequences of 100 Indian oral cancer patients and whole genome sequences of 5 oral cancer patients from India, (ii) somatic variation data from 220 patient samples drawn from the USA and analysed by TCGA-HNSCC project and (iii) manually curated variation data of 118 patients from recently published peer-reviewed publications. Variants were identified by the community approved best practice protocol and annotated using multiple analytic pipeline.

dbGENVOC is not just a catalogue of genomic variants, it has a built-in powerful search engine. It also allows a reasonable extent of statistical and bioinformatic analysis to be carried out online, including identifying variants in associated altered pathways in oral cancer.

The repository, which will be updated annually with variation data from new oral cancer patients from different regions of India and southeast Asia, has the potential to support advances in oral cancer research and will be a major step in moving forward from simply cataloguing variants to gain insight into their significance.



Oral cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India, largely fuelled by tobacco-chewing. Tobacco-chewing causes changes in the genetic material of cells in the oral cavity. These changes (mutations) precipitate oral cancer. Research to identify those genetic mutations that drive oral cancer are ongoing. Such driver mutations may be variable across populations

The URL for the database, dbGENVOC, is: http://research.nibmg.ac.in/dbcares/dbgenvoc/

Details can be found in:

Pradhan, S., Das, S., Singh, A.K. et al. dbGENVOC: database of Genomic Variants of Oral Cancer, with special reference to India. Database (2021) Vol. 2021: article ID baab034; doi:10.1093/database/baab034

About DBT

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, boosts and augments the development of the biotechnology ecosystem in India through its expansion and application in agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment, and industry.

About NIBMG

The National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) has been established as an autonomous institution by the Government of India, under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology. This is the first institution in India explicitly devoted to research, training, translation & service and capacity-building in Biomedical Genomics. It is located in Kalyani, West Bengal, India, near Kolkata.

 

[sorcerer]

-India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

4-5 minutes

Diabetes is a major health challenge for India, showing a trend of increasing prevalence over the years. It is a chronic disease, and over time, uncontrolled diabetes can cause serious damage to many systems in the body, especially the blood vessels and nerves.

In individuals with diabetes, wounds tend to take longer to heal. A large proportion of extremity amputations result from diabetes-induced impairment of wound repair. Timely healing of wounds is therefore pivotal to prevent such extreme consequences. A team of Indian researchers has devised a way to help this happen.

A type of blood cells, called peripheral blood (PB) or bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), contribute to the formation of blood vessels, and thus help in wound healing. However, the ability of these cells to home-in to the site of the wound is impaired in individuals with diabetes, which adversely influences healing.

If EPC cells from non-diabetics can be transplanted onto wounds in diabetic individuals it could enhance blood vessel formation, and thus help wounds to heal faster. But, so far there is no simple method to grow these cells outside the body and deliver them to the site of the wound.

In individuals with diabetes, wounds tend to take longer to heal. A large proportion of extremity amputations result from diabetes-induced impairment of wound repair. Timely healing of wounds is therefore pivotal to prevent such extreme consequences. A team of Indian researchers has devised a way to help this happen.

Researchers have been investigating different means to solve the problem. These include the use of biocompatible scaffolds or matrices that support the growth of cells, to deliver the cells at the site of the wound. Most of the matrices created and tested experimentally, however, have had limitations or drawbacks.

A team of scientists led by Dr. Vaijayanti Kale, a former scientist of the Department of Biotechnology’s Pune-based National Centre for Cell Science (DBT-NCCS) and Prof. Jayesh Bellare of the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT-Bombay has come up with a solution that could break the impasse.

Blending their expertise in cell biology and chemical engineering, they fabricated a nanofibre matrix from polycaprolactone (PC) and gelatin (G) using a new method. This matrix showed some very good properties, including its ability to promote the growth of EPCs.

They tested its efficacy as a therapeutic tool to facilitate diabetic wound healing in a standard laboratory animal model for diabetes, using ethically approved experimental protocols. These investigations yielded promising outcomes, and the studies were reported in the international scientific journal, PLOS ONE. In this article, the team proposed that their novel system could serve as a one-step combined growth and delivery system for direct application on skin wounds, including those in diabetics.

Indian Patent Office has also recently granted a patent based on the research work. “Given its double advantage of the ease of handling along with good support for EPC growth, this matrix promises to hold the potential to be used therapeutically in human patients”, the scientists said.

India Science Wire

 

[fire starter]

JNCASR Researchers Invent Economical, Energy-Efficient Wafer-Scale Photodetector.

JNCASR Researchers Invent Economical, Energy-Efficient Wafer-Scale Photodetector - Saur Energy International

The researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), a multidisciplinary research institute, have invented a cost-efficient and energy-efficient wafer-scale photodetector, which is capable of detecting weak scattered light. This is a thin slice-based...

www.saurenergy.com

 

[fire starter]

 

[sorcerer]

Harvesting electricity from vibrations--India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

3-4 minutes

A team of scientists has fabricated a simple, cost-effective, bio-compatible, nanogenerator that can generate electricity from mere vibrations for use in optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical applications.

Search for renewable energy resources with reduced carbon emissions is one of the most urgent challenges due to the increasing threat of global warming and the energy crisis. Among other things, mere vibrations are being harnessed to produce electricity. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) are new energy devices that generate electricity from vibrations.

They work on the principle of the creation of electrostatic charges via instantaneous physical contact of two dissimilar materials followed by generation of potential difference when a mismatch is introduced between the two contacted surfaces through a mechanical force. This mechanism drives the electrons to move back and forth between the conducting films coated on the back of the tribo-layers.

A team of scientists has fabricated a simple, cost-effective, bio-compatible, nanogenerator that can generate electricity from mere vibrations for use in optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical applications.

The methods that are presently employed to design the nanogenerators use expensive fabrication methods like photolithography or reactive ion etching, and additional processes like electrode preparation.

In the new study, researchers have designed one using thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as tribo layers. The easy availability of the active material and the simplicity of the fabrication process make it cost-effective over currently available fabrication techniques. The resulting device has also been found to be highly efficient, robust, and gives reproducible output over long hours of operation.

The study showed that the device could light up eleven LEDs by gentle hand tapping and could be a potential candidate for use in optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical applications.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, a Bengaluru-based autonomous institute of Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology; Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen China. The team consisted of Dr. Shankar Rao, S.R.Srither, N.R.Dhineshbabu, S.Krishna Prasad, Oscar Dahlsten and Suryasarathi Bose. They have published a report on their work in ‘Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology’.

 

[fire starter]

 

[sorcerer]

Scientists discover two species of few-electron bubbles in superfluid helium--India Science Wire
By India Science Wire

5-6 minutes

Theoretically calculated shapes (not to scale) and spatial arrangement of the electrons for FEBs. Also shown is the range of pressures where the respective FEBs are stable against small fluctuations. Image showing FEBs trapped on the vortex line and exploding. (Image: Neha Yadav)

In a new study, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have experimentally shown the existence of two species of few electron bubbles (FEBs) in superfluid helium for the first time. These FEBs can serve as a useful model to study how the energy states of electrons and interactions between them in a material influence its properties.

The research team included Neha Yadav, a former PhD student at the Department of Physics, Prosenjit Sen, Associate Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), and Ambarish Ghosh, Professor at CeNSE. The study was published in Science Advances .

An electron injected into a superfluid form of helium creates a single electron bubble (SEB) – a cavity that is free of helium atoms and contains only the electron. The shape of the bubble depends on the energy state of the electron. For instance, the bubble is spherical when the electron is in the ground state (1S). There are also MEBs – multiple electron bubbles that contain thousands of electrons, says IISc statement.

FEBs, on the other hand, are nanometre-sized cavities in liquid helium containing just a handful of free electrons. The number, state, and interactions between free electrons dictate the physical and chemical properties of materials. Studying FEBs, therefore, could help scientists better understand how some of these properties emerge when a few electrons present in a material interact with each other. According to the authors, understanding how FEBs are formed can also provide insights into the self-assembly of soft materials, which can be important for developing next-generation quantum materials. However, scientists have only theoretically predicted the existence of FEBs so far. “We have now experimentally observed FEBs for the first time and understood how they are created,” says Neha Yadav, “These are nice new objects with great implications if we can create and trap them.”

In a new study, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have experimentally shown the existence of two species of few electron bubbles (FEBs) in superfluid helium for the first time. These FEBs can serve as a useful model to study how the energy states of electrons and interactions between them in a material influence its properties.

Yadav and colleagues were studying the stability of MEBs at nanometre sizes when they serendipitously observed FEBs. Initially, they were both elated and sceptical. “It took a large number of experiments before we became sure that these objects were indeed FEBs. Then it was certainly a tremendously exciting moment,” says professor Ghosh.

The researchers first applied a voltage pulse to a tungsten tip on the surface of liquid helium. Then they generated a pressure wave on the charged surface using an ultrasonic transducer. This allowed them to create 8EBs and 6EBs, two species of FEBs containing eight and six electrons respectively. These FEBs were found to be stable for at least 15 milliseconds (quantum changes typically happen at much shorter time scales) which would enable researchers to trap and study them.

“FEBs form an interesting system that has both electron-electron interaction and electron-surface interaction,” Yadav explains.

There are several phenomena that FEBs can help scientists decipher, such as turbulent flows in superfluids and viscous fluids, or the flow of heat in superfluid helium. Just like how current flows without resistance in superconducting materials at very low temperatures, superfluid helium also conducts heat efficiently at very low temperatures. But defects in the system, called vortices, can lower its thermal conductivity. Since FEBs are present at the core of such vortices – as the authors have found in this study – they can help in studying how the vortices interact with each other as well as heat flowing through the superfluid helium.

“In the immediate future, we would like to know if there are any other species of FEBs, and understand the mechanisms by which some are more stable than the others. In the long term, we would like to use these FEBs as quantum simulators, for which one needs to develop new types of measurement schemes,” Ghosh announces.

India Science Wire

 

[sorcerer]

Automated Train Toilet Sewerage Disposal System - A Cost-effective Alternative To Bio-toilets


Posted On: 16 JUL 2021 1:19PM by PIB Delhi



An automated technology for collection of toilet waste which is easy to maintain and seven times cheaper alternative to the bio-toilets, developed by an Indian scientist, can be used to maintain the toilet system of the Indian Railways.


Existing Bio toilets use anaerobic bacteria for converting human waste to gas, but that bacteria can’t decompose plastic and cloth materials dumped into toilets by passengers. Hence maintenance and removing of such non decomposed materials inside the tank is difficult.


The technology developed by Dr. R.V. Krishnaiah from Chebrolu Engineering Collegeisan automated system for collection of toilet waste from running trains and segregation of different materials and processing into usable things.


The technology developed with support from the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), aligned with the ‘Make in India’ initiative has been granted five National patents and is in the testing phase.


The automated system consists of three simple steps--the septic tank (which is placed under the track, i.e., train line) top cover gets opened when train approaches to the septic tank place by using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor and reader placed at Engine and septic tank position respectively, sewerage material in toilet tanks is dropped into the septic tank when they are mutually synchronized, and finally the septic tank cover gets closed when train departs away from it.


The collected sewerage material from train toilets is segregated such that human waste is stored in one tank, and other materials such as plastic materials, cloth materials, and so on are stored in another tank. The human waste is further processed separately to convert into usable material. The plastic and cloth materials are processed separately.


This technology has been developed targeting the Indian Railways specifically with the aim of cost reduction and to obviate the necessity of time-consuming anaerobic bacteria generation. In contrast with Bio toilets which cost one lakh per unit, the new technology brings down the cost to Fifteen thousand rupees only. Dr. R.V. Krishnaiah has tied up with MTE Industries for further upscale of this technology.





For more details, Dr. R.V.Krishnaiah(9951222268, [email protected]) can be contacted.

Figure: The Front View of the System

 

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Scientists Develop Novel & Cheap 3D Robotic Motion Phantom that can Reproduce Human Lung Motion; will Help Deliver Focussed Radiation in Cancer Patients


Posted On: 19 JUL 2021 5:22PM by PIB Delhi

• Presently under final testing, equipment is aligned with ‘Make in India’ Initiative

• Developed by a group of scientists indigenously; the 3D platform is cost effective

Doctors in India may soon have the facility to simulate the lung motion of a cancer patient to help deliver focused radiation in the upper abdomen or thoracic region.


Breathing motion is a hurdle for delivering focused radiation dose to the cancer tumour attached to upper abdomen and thoracic regions. The motion exposes an area larger than the tumour to radiation during cancer treatment, thus affecting tissues surrounding the targeted tumour. A focused radiation for a patient could be customised by simulating the lung movement of the particular patient and then orienting the delivery of the radiation so that it can be effective with minimal dosage. Before this is done on a human, its effectiveness needs to be checked on a robotic phantom.


Recent technological development have resulted in state-of-the-art motion management techniques like-gating and tracking. Though there is incremental development in radiation therapy delivery of respiratory moving targets, the quality assurance (QA) tools have not been developed in parallel. For quantitative determination of the absorbed dose in an organ in the patient for a specific type of treatment procedure accuracy of respiratory motion management techniques, additional respiratory motion phantoms are required.


A group of Indian scientists have developed a novel and cheap 3D robotic motion phantom that can reproduce the lung motion of a human during breathing. The phantom is part of a platform not only emulates the human lung motion as a patient is breathing but can also be used to check if the radiation is being correctly focussed on a moving target. The phantom is placed inside a CT scanner on the bed in place of the human, and it emulates human lung motion as it is irradiated during therapy. During irradiation, consistently high-quality images of advanced 4D radiation therapy treatments are obtained with minimum exposure of the patients and workers. Before the targeted radiation is delivered to a human subject, its effectiveness in focusing only on the tumor is checked with this phantom.


Professor Ashish Dutta, Professor at IIT Kanpur, along with Professor K. J. Maria Das, Professor from Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow developed the programmable robotic motion the platform for the quality assurance of respiratory motion management techniques in radiation therapy.


The major part of the phantom is a dynamic platform over which any dosimetric or imaging quality assurance devices can be placed, and the platform can mimic 3D tumor motion by using three independent stepper-motor systems. This platform is placed on the bed where the patient lays down during radiation therapy. As phantom emulates the lung movement, a moving or gating window is used to focus the radiation from the radiation machine on the moving tumour. Detectors placed in the phantom help detect whether the radiation is localised on the tumour.


The dose effectiveness is checked during therapy. The researchers are in the process of testing the system on a phantom. Once done, they will test it on human beings.


This is the first time in India for manufacturing this type of robotic phantoms, and it is more affordable than other imported products available in the market as the program can be changed to produce different types of lung motion.


The technology developed with support from the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and aligned with the ‘Make in India’ initiative is currently under final testing in SGPGIMS, Lucknow.


The innovators are further trying to commercialize the product, which can be used in place of the overseas model that is very much more expensive and does not give access to the control software.

Fig. 1. 3 Axes X-Y-Z motion platform that can move the platform to copy the lung tumor motion during human breathing

Fig. 2. Software to program the motion of the robotic phantom to produce human lung-like motion.